Vacant-seat indicator for theaters.



C. E. EGAN.

VACANT SEAT INDICATOR FORT HEATERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.26.1915.

1,21 8,383. Patented Mar. 6, 1917'.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 11x31- 'C. E. EGAN,

VACANT-SEAT lNDlCATOR FOR THEATERS.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.26, r915.

1,218,383. v Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

2. SHEETS-SHEET 2- Snoawtoz qmtmom arZea Zlywn $1 f I 4 g CHARLES E. EGAN, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR F ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES A. SEMIBOWEB, OF CLARKSB' URG, WEST VIRGINIA,

AND ONE-THIRD T0 ELLET S. BAU'MGARTNER, 0F MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

VACANT-SEAT INDICATOR FOR THEATERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed August 26, 1915. Serial N 0. 47,543.

To all whom it may concern:

' Charleston, in the county of Kanawha and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacant-Seat Indicators for Theaters; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in chair signals or vacant seat indicators for theaters and other buildings, and more particularly to pneumatically operated devices of this character.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby unoccupied chairs in a darkened hall or theater may designed for attachmentto the chair at the aisle end of the row and is here shown provided with laterally extending screws 2 for attachment to a chairarm. This casing 1 has a light 3 disposed therein and which may be electric or otherwise. The casing is also provided with a plurality of apertures 4 corresponding in number to the seats contained in the row to which the device is applied, seven being here shown and which are preferably arranged in alinement, corresponding to the arrangement of the seats and connected therewith as will be presently described. The light rays'from the interior of the casing 1 pass out through the openings 4 be quickly and easily located by the at-' tendants or by persons looking for seats.

Another object is to provide means of this character so constructed that it may be readily determined whether or not two or more of such unoccupied chairs are adjacent to each otheror separated. I

Another object is to provide a pneumatically operated indicator of this character to obscure a light placed at a predetermined point when a seat is occupied and to automatically expose the light when the seat is vacated.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be more fully described and claimed.

In. the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a rear view of a row of chairs with this improved indicator applied;

Fig. 2-. is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical sec- .tion of the indicator with parts broken away;

' responds to the opening 4 with which the Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5--5 of Fig. .3. 1

. Theapparatus constituting this invention, one of which is applicable to each rowof seats comprises a light inclosing casing 1 which may be attached to any suitable support at any desired point, being especially case when the seats corresponding therewith are vacant. These apertures 4: are-arranged in longitudinal alinement near one side edge of the casing 1 and a plurality of air cylinders 5 are arranged transversely within said casing in alinement with said apertures, one cylinder. being provided for each aperture. Apiston 6 is mounted in each cylinder 5 and has a rod 7 connected therewith and extending through the end which is arranged adjacent the opening with which the cylinder 5 is alined. At the outer end of this piston rod 7 is a shield or guard 8 of a size and so positioned as to pass across the opening 4 with which the cylinder carrying said shield is alined and when arranged over said opening, completely cuts off the light rays from passing therethrough. A tube 9 opens into the cylinder 5 in advance of the piston 6 and extends to the seat S which corcylinder 5 alines. This tube 9 at its remote end adjacent the seat S opens into another cylinder 10. A piston 11 is mounted to reciprocate in this cylinder 10 and a coiled spring 12 is arranged in said cylinder between said piston 11 and the inner end of the cylinder and exerts its tension to normally force said piston outward.

A piston rod 13 is connected with the outer face of the piston 11 and extends through the upper or outer end of the cylinder 10 and has its free end positioned under the seat S with which it is adapted to cooperate. v

It is to be understood that one of these cylinders 10 is connected with each of the seats in the row and with the corresponding seat is occupied, the piston rod 13 will be depressed, thus forcing the piston 11. downward in the cylinder 10 against the tension of the spring 12 and compressing the air in said cylinder and forcing it out through the tube 9 into the tube 5 against the piston 6 with suiiicient force to move said piston outwardly in the cylinder 5 and thus project the guard or shield 8 across the opening 4c arranged in alinement therewith and thus cut off the light from said opening, thereby indicating that the seat corresponding to this opening is occupied.

Immediately the seat is vacated, the tension of the spring 12 will force the piston 11 outwardly or upwardly thereby relieving the pressure inlthe cylinder 10 and in the cylinder 5, thereby permitting the piston 6 .to move inwardly, thus withdrawing the guard 8 from over the aperture 4: and permitting the light rays to again shine therethrough and thus indicate that the seat corresponding thereto has been vacated.

From the above description, it will be obvious that a casing at the end of each row will indicate by the exposed openings 4 and the light rays passing therethrough the number of seats vacant in the row and whether or not these seats are arranged adjacent each other or are separated.

This indicating apparatus while very simple in construction having few parts to get out of order, is thoroughly efficient for the purpose for which it is designed and may be readily installed in a theater or other building at a very small cost.

As shown, the light employed in the casing 1 is an electric light and circuit wires for supplying current thereto are shown at W and W in the drawings, said wires extending through a large tube 14: which communicates with one end of the casing 1 and through which the air tubes 9 pass. The tube 14 is here shown provided with a lateral extension 15 with the tubes 9 extending therethrough one of such tubes 9 leading to each seat in the row to which the apparatus is applied.

After this apparatus has once been installed, no attention thereto is necessary as the same operates automatically and the only attention needed is to turn on the lights at night and turn them off when desired, to

avoid unnecessary consumption of electricity.

I claim 1. In a vacant chair indicator for buildings, the combination with a group of seats, of a casing having a light therein, and providedwith a. plurality of apertures corresponding to the seats in the'g-roup, a guard for closing each of said apertures, and pneumat1cally operated means connected with each seat for actuating a corresponding guard on the occupation of the seat for closing a corresponding aperture.

2. In avacant chair indicator for buildings, the combination with a row of seats, of a casing arranged at one end of said row and having a light therein, said casing having a plurality of apertures therein corresponding to the seats in the row, a guard for closing each of said apertures, pneumatically operated means connected with each seat for actuating a corresponding guard on the occupation of the seat for closing a corresponding aperture, and automatic means for opening said apertures on the vacation of the seats.

3. in a vacant chair indicator for thea ters and the like, the combination with a row of seats, a casing mounted at one end of said row and having a plurality of apertures therein corresponding with the seats in the row, a shield for each aperture mounted to reciprocate across the aperture for opening and closing it, a cylinder for each shield mounted in said casing and having a piston reciprocally mounted therein, a piston rod connecting each piston with its shield, and air supplying means for each cylinder operable on the occupation of the seat corresponding thereto for forcing its piston outwardly and thus closing the aper ture, and spring actuated means for withdrawing the air from said cylinder to retract said shield and expose its opening.

4. In avacant seat indicator for theaters and the like, the combination with arow of seats, a casing arranged at one end of said row, said casing having a plurality of longitudinally alined spaced apertures therein, a plurality of cylinders arranged transversely in said casing, one cylinder be ing arranged in alinement with each of said apertures, a piston mounted in each of said cylinders, a rod connected with each piston and extending through one end of its cylinder, a. shield carried by the outer end of each rod and adapted to extend over the opening with which the cylinder is alined when the piston is projected and to be withdrawn therefrom on the retraction of the piston,

a tube communicating with each cylinder in advance of its piston andextending to a point under a corresponding seat, a cylinder arranged under each of said seats with which tubes communicate, a spring project ed piston mounted in each of said last mentioned cylinders and having a stem arranged in the path of the seat and adapted to be compressed on the occupation of the seat, whereby the air in the corresponding cylinder is compressed and forced through its tube into the cylinder communicating therewith in the casing whereby the piston in said last mentioned cylinder is projected and the shield positioned to close its corresponding aperture.

5. In a vacant seat indicator for theaters and the like, the combination with a row of seats, a casing arranged at one end of said row, said casing having a plurality of longitudinally alined spaced apertures therein, a plurality of cylinders arranged transversely in said casing, a cylinder being arranged in alinement with each aperture, a piston mounted in each of said cylinders, a rod connected with each piston and extending through one end of its cylinder, a

' shield carried by the outer end of each rod and adapted to extend over the opening with which the cylinder is alined when the piston is projected-and to be withdrawn therefrom on the retraction of the piston, a tube communicating with each cylinder in advance of its piston and extending to a point under one of the seats, a cylinder arranged under each seat with which a tube communicates, a spring projected piston mounted in each of said last mentioned cylinders and having a stem arranged in the path of the seat and adapted to be compressed on the occupation of the seat, whereby the air in said cylinder is compressed and forced through said tube H. H. Nolan, R. T. GILES.

and by 

